Berry-based liqueurs don’t often get the respect they deserve. For many years, they weren’t regarded as much more than sticky sweeties—perhaps poured into a tiny cordial glass at dessert time—since it was hard to stomach more than an ounce or two of the stuff. Today, spirits producers are emphasizing the character of the fruit itself; some are even dialing back on the sugar—a welcome change.
Art in the Age Black Trumpet Blueberry Cordial (USA; Tamworth Distilling, Tamworth, NH); $40/375 ml, 90 points. Mushroom cocktails are trendy right now, but this might be the first commercial bottling of a liqueur made with Black Trumpet mushrooms, along with blueberries, lavender and lemon verbena. Altogether, it’s a heady, intriguing mix, purple in the glass and scented like crushed berries and dried herbs. The complex palate suggests a mix of mashed blueberries and Concord grape jam, enlivened by a faint savory note midpalate, and finishing with lush, palate-coating fruit. Try it in a Kir. abv: 25%
Read the whole list here: http://www.winemag.com/2017/10/24/berry-liqueurs-that-deserve-respect/